All posts tagged Sir John Tusa

Over 100 supporters of the National Churches Trust packed into Sir Christopher Wren’s St Mary-le-Bow church to enjoy the National Churches Trust 2012 Winter Reception on Thursday 1 November.

As well as wine and canapes, Friends also enjoyed cello music played by Orlando Jopling, whose cello pilgrimage has raised over £50,000 for parish church repairs. You can see photos of the Reception on our Flickr album.

In a fact packed and humorous account, guest speaker broadcaster Sir John Tusa shared some of the highlights of his life-long passion for parish churches. This started in the often cold and damp surroundings of St Catherine’s church on the Thames marshes in East Tilbury, developed at school in Devon and Norfolk and really took off when Sir John was a student at Cambridge University.

As befits the former Managing Director of the BBC’s World Service, Sir John was also keen to praise the parish churches of other countries, including Italy , Romania and Armenia. The churches of each country, he said, traced a unique history, architecture and spiritual devotion. But, he concluded, “the English tradition contains a longer, more sustained experience of historical and architectural growth…more deeply rooted in life as it has been and is being lived. You can read the full text of Si John’s talk by following this link ” Sir John Tusa Winter Reception 2012

Earlier in the Winter Reception, author Richard Taylor urged church lovers not to underestimate the love people have for churches. Once people are in a church, he said, people are fascinated by what is inside. The work of the National Churches Trust in supporting and maintaining places of worship was so important, he said, because ‘ Britain’s parish churches are the most important cultural and historical resource bar none.’

If you would like to become a Friend of the National Churches Trust we’d love to hear from you. For details please email us at info@nationalchurchestrust.org